NEW APPOINTMENTS AND COMPETITIONS

Congratulations to Mr. Tom McCaslin who recently accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. Tom is very excited to move to North Carolina and join an exciting school with a great faculty and facilities. Tom holds a Licentiate in Music Performance from McGill University (Montreal) and a Masters degree in Music Performance at Arizona State University. Tom's principal teachers include John Griffiths, Fritz Kaenzig, Roger Bobo, Dennis Miller, Floyd Cooley, and Samuel Pilafian. In 2006 he was acting principal tuba in the Auckland Philharmonia (New Zealand). In 2003 Tom became the first tuba player to return three summers to the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center, the summer training center for the Boston Symphony. Tom has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Winnipeg Symphony, the Ann Arbor Symphony, the New Mexico Symphony, the Santa Fe Symphony, and the Regina Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist, Tom has been a semi-finalist in the Markneukirchen world instrumental competition, a two-time finalist in the Montreal Symphony's concerto competition, a finalist in the National Canadian Music Festival, the winner of the Saskatchewan Music Festival's brass division and the winner of Arizona State University's concerto competition. He has presented recitals in U.S.A., Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Australia.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga announces the appointment of Dr. Kenyon Wilson to the position of Assistant Professor of Low Brass in the department of music. Previously, Kenyon held the position of adjunct instructor at U.T.C. in addition to other institutions in the area, including Austin Peay State University in Clarksville,
Tennessee. His previous full-time positions include Central Michigan University, Valdosta State University in Georgia, and the Baku Music Academy in Azerbaijan where he served as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar. In addition to teaching at U.T.C., Dr. Wilson is the principal tubist with the Tuscaloosa Symphony in Alabama and the Augusta Symphony in Georgia.

Kenyon Wilson

Congratulations to Edward Partyka as he has been named Professor for Jazz Theory, Compositon, and Arranging at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Graz, Austria. Edward Partyka is an award-winning composer/arranger and low brass player. Ed Partyka is a bass trombonist/tubist. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, he received a B.A. degree from Northern Illinois University before moving to Germany in 1990. He completed a Masters Degree in jazz trombone performance at the Conservatory of Music in Cologne. He is a member of the Vienna Art Orchestra and Bob Brookmeyer's New Art Orchestra and has appeared worldwide as a guest conductor, educator and performer. Ed has a wonderful website, www.edpartyka.com , which includes his bio, recordings, and many fantastic music links.

Trevor Culp, a junior music performance major at Stephen F. Austin State University, was selected as one of four winners in the 2007 Orchestra of the Pines (OOTP) Concerto Competition held in Nacogdoches, Texas. Trevor performed the first movement of the Tuba Concerto by Edward Gregson on the OOTP's February concert as well as an additional performance with the orchestra at Angelina College in Lufkin, Texas. Mr. Culp is currently studying with J.D. Salas, Instructor of Tuba-Euphonium Studies at S.F.A.

Trevor Culp

Congratulations to Jonathan Hill , junior tuba performance major at the University of Washington, for achieving the title of Yamaha Young Performing Artist. As part of his award, he performed Bruce Broughton's Concerto for Tuba at the Yamaha Summer Symposium at Illinois State University on June 25, 2007. Jonathan is a student of Chris Olka, and his other accomplishments include winning the MTNA National High School Brass Competition in 2003 and performing on multiple occasions with the Seattle Symphony.

Jonathan Hill

Corey Graves, a senior music education major at Stephen F. Austin State University, was selected as the winner of the 2007 Presidents Award for Outstanding Solo Recital. The President's award is selected among recitalists from both the undergraduate & graduate level of all applied music fields at S.F.A. and this is the first time a euphonium player has been selected for this honor. Corey currently studies with J.D. Salas, Instructor of tuba-euphonium studies at S.F.A.

Corey Graves pictured with Dr. Baker Pattillo, President of Stephen F. Austin State University

James Madison University students David Heinsen , euphonium and Kevin Elkins , baritone were prizewinners at the recent North American Brass Band Association Championships. David placed first in the low brass technical solo division performing Devil's Duel by Peter Meechan, and Kevin placed first in the low brass slow melody division performing the second movement of Andrew Duncan's Concerto for Baritone . Both are members of the J.M.U. Brass Band and study with Kevin Stees.

James Madison University students David Heinsen, euphonium and Kevin Elkins, baritone

Humboldt Brass Chamber Music Workshop Announces 2007 Composition Contest Prizewinners

CAMPBELL, CA: Tony Clements, Director of the 2007 Humboldt Brass Chamber Music Workshop, has announced the annual Composition Contest winners. Compositions were requested to have three movements of less than five minutes duration each. All qualifying contest entries were played and evaluated by the workshop coaching staff. The coaching staff consists of professional brass musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. The winners' works will be performed during the July 2007 Brass Chamber Music Workshop at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. Amateur musicians will perform the music in a workshop format. All submitted contest compositions will become part of the workshop's extensive brass chamber music library.

“We have added some wonderful music to our library, and I am eager for all workshop participants to have an opportunity to play it,” said Clements. “I am especially excited by the level of international participation in the contest. Congratulations to the winners, and many thanks to all the fine composers who submitted works.”

The Humboldt Brass Chamber Music Workshop is held each summer in two one-week sessions. 2007 sessions are scheduled for July 22–27 and July 28–August 2. Activities include daily chamber ensemble rehearsals coached by some of the West Coast's finest brass musicians, daily performances by participants, brass choir reading sessions, abundant freelance playing time, special-interest sessions on brass-related topics, and spectacular California North Coast scenery. For additional information visit www.humboldt.edu/ or email Tony Clements at ttuba@earthlink.net.

NEW RECORDINGS

New Sérgio Carolino Tuba Recording

Steel aLive! features Portuguese tuba soloist Sérgio Carolino. The recording features a wide variety of musical styles and is highly acclaimed. Below you will find just a small sampling of the massive amount of praise the recording is receiving from many highly respected musicians.

“Sérgio Carolino delivers world class tuba playing again. Much of this very hard- to-play material is recorded live in concert. Anyone who has tried to release live concerts on CD knows how extremely difficult it is. These days we are used to almost perfect CDs, and most live recordings cannot be used simply because they have too many mistakes in them. Sergio manages to maintain the intensity as well as perfect technical playing throughout the CD. As an extra bonus, you will have a hard time finding someone with better multiphonics than Sérgio. Fantastic Playing! Bravo!” ~ Øystein Baadsvik, International Tuba Soloist

“I received and listened to SÉRGIO CAROLINO 's CD and am extremely impressed with his playing and the music. I think that SÉRGIO is taking things to a new level. What an amazing showcase for Sr. Carolino, and it is ALL LIVE! This CD raises the bar for all tuba soloists.” ~ Jim Self, Yamaha Performing Artist, Top Studio And Performing Musician In Los Angeles, Composer.

For further information, please visit the publisher's website www.afinaudio.net. In addition, please visit the Performance Lab at www.iteaonline.org/lab to listen to tracks from this great CD.

Groundbreaking Euphonium Recordings

Taking Flight will be the first complete recording for euphonium and symphony orchestra featuring Adam Frey and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. The CD will feature the following works: Allen Feinstein– Concerto for Euphonium: Swimming the Mountain (Winner of the 2006 Harvey Phillips New Composition Award), Ennio Morricone– Gabriel's Oboe, Miguel Sandoval– Sin tu Amor, Giacomo Puccini–” Che Gilida Manina” from La Boehme, Pablo Sarasate– Gypsy Airs (Zigeunerweisen) , Jules Massenet– ”Meditation” from Thais, and Hugo Alfven– Valflickens Dance.

Beyond the Horizon will feature six world premiere recordings featuring euphonium and piano. The recording will feature Adam Frey, euphonium with Paula Peace, piano and Fred Mills, trumpet. Selections include four works written for Adam Frey: Derek Bourgeois– Concert Prelude , Richard Prior– Diversions, Duncan MacMillan– Gaelic Sonata (Finalist for the 2006 Harvey Phillips New Composition Award), and David Morgan– Shapes of the Morning. These are paired with a Japanese melody Jiro Censhu– A Walk in the Woods (Finalist for the 2006 Harvey Philips New Composition Award) and a chamber work by Rolf Wilhelm– Duett Concertino for Trumpet, Euphonium, and Piano.

Both recordings are available at www.euphonium.com and many fine brass recording stores. MP3 downloads will be available in September 2007.

GENERAL NEWS

Tubist Vilmos Szabó Retires

Tubist Vilmos Szabó

Vilmos Szabó principal tubist of the Budapest Symphony (Symphony Orchestra of the Hungarian Radio) has retired at the age of 66 after filling this position for forty years.

He was the founding member of Modern Brass Ensemble (a.k.a. Hungarian Brass) and of the Austrian Pro Brass where he played for 21 years before retiring. He also played in Budapest Brass and Brass ad Libitum

He has received several awards, e.g. Absolute First Prize in Ancona, Italy, Niveaux Award of the Hungarian Radio and also of the Hungarian Copyright Bureau (Artisjus) for performing and promoting Hungarian contemporary music at home and abroad with the Modern Brass Ensemble, and a Cultural Grand Prix of the Cultural Minister of Upper Austria with Pro Brass.

He was one of the founders of the Hungarian Trombone-Tuba Association, was its president for eight years, presently he is the vice-president. He has been a member of ITEA since 1984 and, at the ITEC in Budapest in 2004 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in HTTA and for the international acknowledgement of the society of Hungarian tuba and trombone players.

He is presently active in administration of the Béla Bartók Memorial House in his locale/neighborhood.

New leadership at JA Musik

On April 1, 2007, Gerhard A. Meinl (50) hands over the presidency of the company JA Musik GmbH in Markneukirchen (Saxony, Germany) to his successor Jakob von Wolff (33). The company JA Musik GmbH manufactures brass wind instruments with famous brands such as B&S, Hans Hoyer, and Meister J. Scherzer. It is also mother company to Wenzel Meinl GmbH in Geretsried (Germany), the brass manufacturer of Melton/Meinl-Weston products, the Hungarian Sternberg Kft, and the Paris-based oboe manufacturer Marigaux. Additionally, the JA Musik Group includes two distribution companies, SML in Paris and American Way Marketing in Elkhart, Indiana (U.S.A.).

Gerhard A. Meinl stems from a family that has been manufacturing brass-wind instruments for seven generations in Graslitz, Bohemia. In the year 1983, he joined his family company Wenzel Meinl GmbH. With the end of the communist regime in Eastern Germany, he took the chance to build the JA Musik Group and privatized, built, and restructured the former East-German stated-owned brass wind company VEB Blechblas & Signalinstrumente (B&S) in Markneukirchen, Saxony. Soon after in 2000 he hired

Jakob von Wolff as Executive Vice President of JA Musik GmbH. Jakob von Wolff learned to love music with his family and education, and this love led him into the music industry. With a business education at the Nottingam University Business School (U.K.) and at ICADE in Madrid, he initially took on the responsibility for finance and organization.

Jakob von Wolff plans to grow JA Musik GmbH as a manufacturer of high-end brass-instruments: “We are certainly unique in the way we work with musicians, and this will secure our lead in the area of product development and innovation. On the other hand we need to strengthen our brands. B&S, Hans Hoyer and Melton/Meinl-Weston should become known to every accomplished brass player around the globe. For this we need clear brand management, close partnerships with our distribution partners and innovative marketing approaches. This will help us to highlight that we are quality made in Europe. All this we will accomplish with our apprenticed craftsmen, decades of experience and centuries of history and tradition.”~ ~Vincent Ribes, Assistant Manage, JA Musik

Michael Eastep solos with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

James Scott, Eric Ewazen, and Michael Eastep

On March 10 and 11 Michael Eastep performed Eric Ewazen's Concerto for Tuba or Bass Trombone with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Markand Thakar conducting. The piece was performed in its entirety on March 10 and just the first movement on March 11. Since the concert dates corresponded with Spring Break at Juilliard, Dr. Ewazen was able to attend the performances for his first hearing of the tuba version of the work with orchestra. While in town he led an excellent master class at the University of Calgary on the topic “Writing for Brass.” University of Calgary instructors Michael
Eastep, tuba and James Scott, trombone performed movements of Ewazen's works for low brass and trumpet student Stephen Fong performed a movement of Ewazen's trumpet sonata. Eric Ewazen played piano for the tuba and trumpet sonatas.

Lloyd Bone Conducted by Sean Greene

Lloyd Bone, euphoniumist and Assistant Professor of Music at Glenville State College, soloed with the University of the Cumberlands Concert Band on March 27, 2007. Lloyd and the band were under the direction of tubist and Professor of Low Brass Dr. Sean Greene. Lloyd soloed James Curnow's Rhapsody for Euphonium .

Lloyd Bone and Sean Greene

New International Music Festival

From July 1–15 a new international music festival was held in Durham, England. It includes two Brass Band Contests, loads of U.K. brass bands taking part and the famous Durham Miners Gala which is over 120 years old and thirty bands (1,000 brass players) including: Boban and Marko Markovic Orkestra, Orkestra Del Sol, Dirty Dozen, Jack Brass, Mnozil, Brazz Brothers, Dennis Rollins, Oren Marshall, Bellowhead, The W Fairey band performing Acid Brass, Jaipur Kawa Brass Band, and The YBS Brass Band.

Streets of Brass with international street bands, street band “busking” competition and so much more was part of the massive music festivities. For more information on the festival go to the official site: www.brassfestival.co.uk .

Tuba on the Radio

Tubist Tom Heasley was featured on the radio on Thursday, May 3 discussing his music and other topics. He was Martin Perlich's guest on KCSN-FM 88.5.

A podcast with one of his tunes just went up, Well Made Music Podcast #17 (Scotland), which features “Ground Zero” from his first album, Where the Earth Meets the Sky ( http://wellmademusic.wordpress.com/ ).

Also, Tom's new album with drums is nearing completion and will be released very soon. For more information go to ambienttuba@earthlink.net, www.tomheasley.com , and www.myspace.com/tomheasley .

Capital Tuba-Euphonium Quartet performs in Washington, D.C.

The Capital Tuba-Euphonium Quartet, one of the small ensembles of “The Band of the Nation's Capital,” 257th Army Band appeared in concert with the band on May 12, 2007. The Capital TEQ was featured during the band's concert performing Michael Nicken's Black Armored Wings . The Capital TEQ is comprised of SGT David Tarquine and SSG Brian McCommon on euphonium and SSGs Martin Tousignant and Donald Hornbuckle on tuba. For additional information, please visit www.257ArmyBand.com.

New Creative Impulse Seminar To Take Place In Austria

Jon Sass and Mathias Rauch will be hosting a new workshop, the New Creative Impulse Seminor in Tirol, Austria from August 26–29, 2007. Sass will present a clinic entitled “Groove and Creative Concepts for Tuba and Low Brass,” which will also feature the new Jon Sass Tuba Quartet and his new publications of play-along CD/DVD and booklets! For additional information, visit http://www.tirolmusikverlag.at .

Unique YouTube Tuba and Euphonium Performance

I'm sure most readers are aware that many interesting, VERY interesting things can be found on the highly popular website YouTube. Thanks to Harry Salotti and Jerry Young we can all benefit from a most unique tuba and euphonium performance. The link is www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHmnjJJ_5No and features Dave Bargeron on euphonium and Michele Goddard on tuba. Enjoy!

Melton/Meinl-Weston and ITEA Recognizes Klemens Pröpper

(L-R) Pröpper being presented an honorary plaque from Gerhard Meinl.

German TubaForum V.P. Manfred Heidler, new president Michael Krumme (sitting), and Pröpper.

As part of the 2007 DTF conference, both Jens-Bjørn Larsen and Øystein Baadsvik were present as guest clinicians.

Klemens Pröpper has recently retired from serving 20 years as President of the Deutsches TubaForum, an organization founded in 1987. He was recognized at this year's DTF conference (May 14–18), and was given special recognition on behalf of Gerhard Meinl of Melton/Meinl-Weston (also a founding member of DTF and International Vice-President for ITEA).

In addition, Marty Erickson presented a plaque on behalf of ITEA for his insurmountable service to the international tuba and euphonium community. Professor Klemens will be succeeded by Michael Krummer. For more information on the DTF, please visit their website at http://www.tubaforum.de.

OBITUARY

Bill Barber (May 21, 1920–June 18, 2007)

Tubist and educator Bill Barber is considered by many to be the first person to play tuba in modern jazz. He is best known for his work with Miles Davis on albums such as Birth of the Cool , Sketches of Spain and Miles Ahead . Barber was born John William Barber in Hornell, New York near Rochester, New York in 1920. He started playing tuba in high school and later studied at the Juilliard School of Music. After graduating, he traveled west to Kansas City, Missouri where he played with the Kansas City Philharmonic and various ballet and theatre orchestras.

He joined the United States Army in 1942, and, following the war he started playing jazz joining Claude Thornhill's big band in 1947. Barber was one of the first tuba players to play in a modern jazz style, performing in various roles as soloist, rhythm section, and ensemble member. Barber became a founding member of Miles Davis' nonet (initially sometimes dubbed the “Miles Davis Tuba Band”) in 1949 in what became known as the Birth of the Cool recording sessions. He then worked in theatre pit orchestras before joining up with Davis and Gil Evans in 1957 to record albums such as Sketches of Spain , Miles Ahead, and Porgy and Bess. Barber also played on John Coltrane's only big band album Africa/Brass .

Barber completed a Master's Degree from the Manhattan School of Music and became a very successful high school music teacher at Copiague, New York. In addition, he was highly successful as a private tuba teacher, passing on his knowledge to many future professional musicians. He continued to perform, most prominently with the Goldman Band, and, in 1992, he recorded and toured internationally with a nonet led by Gerry Mulligan that re-worked the Birth of the Cool repertory. He died of heart failure in June 2007 in Bronxville, New York. In addition to his daughter Jill of Bronxville, he is survived by his wife, Dora; two sons, John, of Covington, R.I., and William, of Manhattan; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Barber's significant contributions to the evolvement of the tuba are historic, and this is best described by the legendary Harvey Phillips, “Bill Barber is a legend to me and many others for having pioneered the interpretive styles and phrasing of the tuba in modern American jazz and for helping define the variety of roles the tuba can play in other music disciplines.” Bill Barber along with Don Butterfield were featured in last issue's ITEA Journal , “ Tributes for Two New York Tuba Legends,” Volume 34 Number 3 (Spring 2007).

Donald N. Tidwell (February 14, 1945–June 2, 2007)
Originally printed in the Pittsburgh Post -Gazette on Wednesday, June 06, 2007
by Marylynne Pitz

Donald N. “Neal” Tidwell, principal tubist with the River City Brass Band for 14 years, played his large horn with precision, style, and a dry sense of humor. When he directed the Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble's Christmas concerts at Duquesne University, he wore a Santa hat. Mr. Tidwell, 62, died of prostate cancer Saturday at his West Sunbury home in Butler County. He was born in Nashville, Tennesse, and grew up in Centralia, Illinois. He attended the University of Southern Mississippi, where he studied tuba with Raymond Young. He also studied with Arnold Jacobs, a nationally renowned tubist in Chicago.

Mr. Tidwell joined the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra in 1967 and served as its principal tubist until 1990. While in New Orleans, he also performed with jazz greats Lionel Hampton and Pete Fountain as well as the New Orleans Hot Jazz Orchestra. He also played with the New Orleans Opera and Ballet orchestras and brass quintets. An energetic, enthusiastic man, Mr. Tidwell moved to Pittsburgh in 1990 and joined the River City Brass Band as principal tubist in 1991 and played with the group through July 2005, said Joe Zuback, the band's general manager. That same year, he joined the faculty of the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University. Dean Edward Kocher said Mr. Tidwell was a handsome, slender man who stood about 5 feet 10, was well-dressed and professional. With music students, Dean Kocher said, “He was very demanding for their own good.”

When Mr. Tidwell directed the eight-member Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, “he rehearsed them with a lot of discipline. He took great pride in that ensemble,” Dean Kocher added. “He really was able to find ways to help his students play the tuba well.”

Mr. Tidwell also played tuba with the Pittsburgh Brass Quintet and the Gateway Music Brass Quintet. In his spare time, he gardened and made model airplanes. He is survived by his wife, Lana Corbett Adams Tidwell; two daughters, Lynn Carley Bates of Los Angeles and Jennifer Paige Tidwell Carreiro of Arlington, Massachusetts; and one sister, Delane Cox of Bentonville, Arkansas. A memorial service was held on June 5, 2007 at the First United Methodist Church in Butler. Arrangements were by William F. Young Funeral Home, West Sunbury.

ITEA Chapters—Get Involved!

An ITEA regional chapter can be an extremely important and useful means of coordinating the efforts of individual ITEA members so that they may realize their common goals. Please visit http://iteaonline.org/Chapters/chapters.php to find informative chapter documents such as Suggested Activities for Regional Chapters and Chapter Guidelines. Interested folks can also download a PDF document containing these items as well as an ITEA Chapter Application Form and Sample By-Laws for your chapter. These are suggestions for your consideration and are provided simply as examples of the varied ways that some individual chapters have successfully established themselves.

If you have further questions regarding starting an ITEA chapter, please contact Deanna Swoboda.

©2007 International Tuba Euphonium Association. All Rights Reserved.